


Unmarked Graves

by junko



Series: Scatter and Howl [66]
Category: Bleach
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-13
Updated: 2018-03-13
Packaged: 2019-03-30 20:42:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13959621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/junko/pseuds/junko
Summary: Renji and Byakuya continue their picnic at the gravesite, on the anniversary of Hisana's death.





	Unmarked Graves

Even though his knees ached and his calves had gone all pins-and-needles on him, Renji waited patiently for Byakuya to pull himself together. At some point, Byakuya shifted his shoulders, and Renji took that as his cue to let his hand slide from Byakuya’s back. 

Silently, Byakuya fussed with Hisana’s grave, arranging the plum blossoms and replacing Rukia’s note.

Renji started to feel like an intruder, despite himself. He thought about getting up and leaving Byakuya to it, but, looking at Rukia’s note, Renji decided that maybe he had something to say to Hisana, too.

Closing his eyes, he bowed his head. He wasn’t much for praying. Renji only really did it once a year, if he went to the shrine on New Years’. 

He slapped his hands together anyway and thought really hard in the direction of Hisana’s grave. _Right. I stole your husband. I’m not sorry for it. But, you and me, we’re like cousins or something, what with you being an Inuzuri brat and Rukia’s sister to boot. I guess I hope you dumped that creep you were with in the Human World and Urahara set you up nice and all with Byakuya’s money. You got no more reason to haunt us. Byakuya ain’t ever stopped loving you or taking care of you._

_Sssselfish cow _, Snake Tail grumbled.__

____

____

_Hush,_ Renji and the Baboon King admonished simultaneously.

Well, he couldn’t leave it there now, could he? He glowered at her name on the stone as he tried to think of what else he might say. Bowing his head again, Renji added, _Yeah, so, I’m keeping your man._

Letting out a breath of finality, Renji dropped his hands. He lifted his head only to find Byakuya staring at him. “What?”

“Is everything all right between the two of you?” Byakuya couldn’t quite swallow a smile, though he tried.

“Ah, I just told your wife I ain’t sorry for picking up where she left off,” Renji said, pulling himself off his knees with a grunt. He rubbed his face. “I’m going to open up the picnic basket and leave you two for your private time.”

Byakuya said nothing to that. Just before Renji turned to go, Byakuya caught his hand and gave it a quick squeeze. Renji understood the ‘thank you for being here’ in that gesture. In fact, given Byakuya’s usual dislike for physical affection, it was greater than any words. 

#

Renji laid out the blanket Eishirō had packed not far from Hisana’s grave, at the very edge of the grassy area. The stone closest to him read ‘Beloved mother.’ Renji scratched his sideburns at that. How was anybody’s mother on the outside, and not carved on the main stone?

He guessed he’d ask Byakuya about that later.

From the picnic basket, Renji pulled a container of shira-ae, a mashed tofu salad. Sticking his nose under the cover he could smell the strong scent of sesame oil and could see hints of various cooked vegetables like, sliced carrots, spinach, green beans, and konnyaku, a jelly made from potatoes. His stomach growled a little as he set that aside on the blanket.

The next bowl contained some kind of burdock root and carrot thing that stunk of spicy chili sauce. Renji put that one closer to where he imagined Byakuya would be sitting. Under that there was a carafe of something--tea or sake, Renji couldn’t tell without opening it, and a box containing fried shrimp arranged artfully around a number of pickles--radishes and eggplant, mostly, it seemed.

By the time he got the plates, bowls, and chopsticks out, Byakuya had joined him on the blanket.

“You picked the controversial section of the graveyard, I see,” Byakuya said, holding his bowl out for the sake Renji poured. He glanced at the grave that Renji’d been so curious about. 

“Yeah, what’s her story?” Renji asked, popping a shrimp in his mouth before dishing out the tofu salad to both of them. “Mother.”

“She is my many times great grandmother--a concubine. The Kuchiki’s legal wife was barren. This woman, instead, bore all the heirs.”

“And you don’t even know her name,” Renji muttered, helping himself to a few more shrimp.

“But I do,” Byakuya said, taking a sip of the sake. He lifted his bowl to indicate the entire graveyard. “Kuchiki. They are all Kuchiki.”

“I guess,” Renji said, trying really hard to see it the way Byakuya meant it: as some kind of gift. “So, that’s what I would’ve been, huh? Kuchiki. I been walking into every fight of my life telling people to remember my name, and in the end I’d’ve just been some stone that said ‘Lieutenant.’”

“At the time, I wanted you inside these walls, so yes.” Sniffing the chili-flavored burdock and carrot dish, Byakuya put a large helping of it on his plate. “My other choice would have been to place the stone outside of the graveyard. There are a few of those, with full names, but it’s understood they are not family, only soldiers of note from the Sixth Division. No one tends their graves. They are mostly overgrown and forgotten.”

Renji scowled at the pickles at the end of his chopsticks for a long moment before tearing into them violently. “Of course.”

“I don’t understand why this angers you so.”

Renji let out a long breath through his nose in an effort to relax his hunching shoulders. He took a big swallow of sake and let Byakuya refill his bowl before he answered. “I dunno. I guess I kind hoped I’d be free from all this class bullshit when I was dead.”

Byakuya allowed himself a sour smile and shook his head. “Graves aren’t for the dead. They’re for those left behind. And this place, especially,” Byakuya lips went thin, “is about tradition and duty and the order of things as the Kuchiki clan would like those left behind to follow and uphold. You hate the idea of your name being taken from you in death; I have always hated knowing that from the moment of my investiture, my name was carved on a gravestone with a number. And even if I were to have a thousand children, the only one who will be named is the one who is the next clan head.”

Renji looked at the dozens and dozens of stones with a renewed horror. “Wait, some of these are blood relatives to the clan head?”

“Perhaps it can be some comfort to you that the Lady Masama will be buried with no other marker than “Auntie.’”

Renji couldn’t quite hold back an evil laugh. “I hope to hell you actually carve ‘auntie’ on it, all causal and familiar like; she’d fucking hate that.”

“Well,” Byakuya drawled, biting into a shrimp. “I’m certainly not adding ‘Beloved.’”

#

For much of the walk back, Byakuya was quiet. Renji didn’t push it, figuring the guy probably had a lot on his mind. Besides, this way he could keep an ear out for any sign of mercenaries. It didn’t seem likely that they’d be stupid enough to try again, but they might be just that desperate to impress their lord. 

It wasn’t until they were almost back to the estate that someone approached them, and it wasn’t anyone Renji would’ve expected.

“Ho, ho, there you are, Mr. Byakuya,” came Captain Kyōraku’s booming voice from across the cherry orchard. The wan spring sunlight glimmered on the hot pink kimono he always wore slung over his broad shoulders. That long curl of a ponytail fluttered behind him in the breeze. He had lifted his travelling hat with a finger to give them a serious look as he drew closer. But, he smiled broadly when he said, “I’m terribly cross with you, I’ll have you know.”

Renji stepped up, protectively. “Uh, can it wait, sir? We’ve only just come back from the gravesite.”

Byakuya put a hand on Renji’s shoulder, “It’s quite alright, Renji. I could do with the distraction.” To the captain, Byakuya asked, “Cross? Have we not resolved our differences with the formal apology, Shunsui?”

Kyōraku watched Renji for a beat longer with upraised eyebrows and a little knowing smirk. Renji could almost feel his amusement radiating from him. Renji tried not to let it bother him, especially since that quirk of a smile felt like an insult, like the captain was saying, ‘How quaint! You, challenging me…’

With some effort, Kyōraku turned his attention to Byakuya. “Terribly insulted, even!” he laughed. With one hand, he dramatically patted the twin blades tucked into his obi. “Do you really not imagine that we would not be enough to protect your heir at court?” Kyōraku clucked his tongue, “My dear boy, do you even know the letters I have written, the parties I have planned? There are provisions laid in!” He flattened a hand against his hairy chest. “To honor a Kuchiki, you understand! So much food and drink! And, now, what? You would have me waste it all over your silly domestic squabbles that have already cost me quite enough, young man.”

Renji could sense the flinch at the ‘young man’ bit, but Byakuya kept his face impassive. “I see. You still wish to take Shinobu to the spring court?”

Kyōraku smacked Renji in the arm, “Has your partner gone deaf?” To Byakuya, he smiled. “Yes, dear boy, I do. I’m quite serious about how much effort I’ve put into dusting off ancient alliances and currying favors to discover which, this season, are the best placed families with whom to ingratiate ourselves. Do you think this is easy? Byakuya, my boy, I have had to work. I’m not sure you understand how little I enjoy working.”

“Are you saying you didn’t just foist all of this off on your lieutenant?” Byakuya asked dryly. Renji had to hide a smile with a cough, because he’d been thinking the same thing.

“Ah, my beloved Nanao-chan is a lot of things,” Kyōraku fell into step beside them as they continued the rest of the way through the orchard to the estate. Renji let himself fall a step behind, so the captains could speak together. “But, alas, she is no Kyōraku. Competent, surely, but affairs of nobles is beyond her ken.”

“Ah,” Byakuya said with a small frown. “There’s some scandal regarding the Ise, is there not? I read about it, long ago, in the Kuchiki archives.”

Kyōraku pulled his hat down and crossed and tucked his arms into the sleeves of his kosode. “Some things are best left to the annals of history.”

Whoa, the mood changed fast. No joking reply there. Renji glanced up to watch Byakuya’s reaction.

“No insult to your lieutenant intended,” Byakuya said quickly.

“Mmmm, and what about to me?” Kyōraku asked, lifting his head slightly. One clever eye glinted from the shadow of his hat. “Mr. Byakuya, you have made it so that I must travel to the Spring Court one way or the other. Don’t make me undertake this arduous, unwelcome task without the heir, especially when so many of my plans are quite contingent on his presence. To think I can not protect one boy from a horde of Kuchiki retainers is an insult to my manhood… ah, not to mention to the Lady Katen Kyokotsu, who, trust me, you would do best to stay on the good side of.”

It was kind of a threat, but Byakuya didn’t rise to it. In fact, Renji was a little shocked when Byakuya gave a little bow in the direction of Kyōraku’s zanpakuto: “I see I owe my apologies to the Lady, as well.” 

“Wise move,” Kyōraku said with a hearty laugh and a slap on Byakuya’s back. “It’s all settled then. I’ll inform my cousin that we leave in the morning as planned.”

With that, the captain turned and walked off. He waved at them over his shoulder, which Renji returned. Byakuya simply nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Renji waited until Kyoraku had moved well out of hearing range before sidling up to Byakuya. “Well, that was… interesting.”

“Quite,” Byakuya agreed, ducking into the front hall after Eishiro opened the door for them. Byakuya removed his shoes. 

After handing off the basket to the house steward, Renji did the same. 

Byakuya added, “Who knew Kyōraku would chose to position himself as such a strong Kuchiki ally?”

“Huh?” Renji followed Byakuya up onto the tatami. The floor was slippery under his tabi. “That’s what you got out of that?”

Byakuya headed for the stairs. Automatically, Renji fell into step behind him. 

“Absolutely,” Byakuya said. Reaching the top of the stairs, Byakuya turned off towards the library. “The captain made it very clear with all this talk of using his connections to secure a good place for the heir.”

Once at the library, Byakuya made a beeline for his favorite sunny corner and the kotatsu there.

Gratefully, Renji plunked onto the floor with a happy sigh. The warmth indoors was a welcome change from the nip of this morning’s air. Tucking his legs under the comforter next to the kotatsu’s heat, Renji flopped backwards onto the floor. Lying on his back, he hid his face from the bright sunlight in the crook of his elbow. “Wasn’t Kyōraku just mad that he was gonna have to cancel a bunch of parties?”

Byakuya rang for tea before settling opposite Renji. “Exactly. He’s laid out a significant expense or he wouldn’t be upset.” 

Renji closed his eyes, letting the heat from the kototsu warm leg muscles that had been chilled from the long walk in the countryside. 

Apparently, having decided something, Byakuya suddenly said, “It’s a powerplay. But, for what, I’m not certain.”

Reluctantly, Renji uncovered his eyes. Squinting in the bright light, he stared at the ceiling, puzzling out the question. “Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, the guy is already a captain. There isn’t a higher position than that. I mean, it’s not like Captain-Commander Yamamoto is going anywhere soon.”

Renji could feel Byakuya shift his feet under the kotatsu. “The head captain is old, Renji, and he and Kyōraku are close. Perhaps Kyōraku knows something we don’t. Maybe Yamamoto is considering retirement.”

“Yeah, but Kyōraku? Head captain? I can’t think of a guy less suited for the job. His reputation is as a lazy drunkard,” Renji scoffed.

Byakuya made an agreeing, thoughtful sound. “Perhaps it’s Kyōraku who wishes to retire to a life at court.”

“Is that… retiring?” Renji kind of figured court life was at least sort of busy, what with all the intrigue and stuff. Though, come to think of it, he had no idea what noble people considered work, anyway. He pulled himself upright with a grunt, “I mean, okay. But, why not just go settle with Ukitake at Ugendō, or whatever it’s called.”

“Indeed.” Byakuya sat with his elbows on the top of the kotatsu, and his fingers steepled in front of his face. His perfectly sculpted eyebrows were tugged into a little frown of concentration. He looked kind of cute like that, Renji thought. He was going to say so, when Byakuya said, “Perhaps Kyōraku is angling for a position in Central 46. There are… quite a few vacancies.”

Renji coughed. “That’s putting it mildly.”

Aio arrived with tea. While she laid out the teapot and bowls, Renji tugged at his hair. It had started to droop again. The silk tie really wasn’t cutting it any more. He was going to have to get something stronger to hold back this mountain of hair he seemed to be growing out.

Byakuya sat, as usual, with his eyes downcast, but Renji could feel his attention as he wrestled with the silk. Heh, Byakuya and his thing about hair. Renji wondered if he should just give up trying to fix it and let his hair down. 

But, if Byakuya did have sex on his mind, he didn’t show it. Instead, after Aio had bowed her way out, Byakuya picked up the conversation where they’d left off. “If nothing else, Kyōraku is telling the other nobles that he, and possibly by extension, the rest of the Gotei 13, are on my side in terms of the clan war.”

Renji, who had been pouring tea, startled and nearly spilled tea on the kotatsu’s comforter. “Uh, is that a good thing? I mean, won’t the noble houses see that as… I dunno, a threat?”

Byakuya took his tea bowl and raised it to his lips. He blew on the steaming tea several times before answering. “It’s uncertain. The Kuchiki have always been allied with the Gotei. We’ve married into a number of other Gotei families. However, I’m not sure we’ve ever made much of this before, and certainly not during a time of crisis.” Byakuya took a long sip. That cute little frown reappeared. “I will have to trust Captain Kyouraku in this matter. As I discovered during Rukia’s trial, I have almost no influence at court.”

Renji played with the teacup. It seemed tiny and extremely fragile in his large, scarred and calloused hands. “Well, I mean, what’s the worst case scenario here?” Renji tasted the tea. The robust, chestnutty flavor was like a balm. Damn, he was getting addicted to the good stuff. “How much damage could Kyōraku do to you at court?”

Byakuya set down his tea and took a rice cracker from the little bowl Aio had brought. “I honestly can’t think of a downside,” he admitted, taking a dainty nibble. “I have been notably absent from court, with the singular exception of the Hanami, for decades.”

Renji chuckled darkly at memories of last year’s Hanami. “And you spent the entire time rebuffing female attention. That can’t’ve made you popular.”

“Exactly,” Byakuya agreed.

“So, I guess you leave it up to the heir and the captain,” Renji said, snagging one of the crackers for himself. Lightly salted, the crispy cracker tasted of soy sauce. Good! He had to stop himself from grabbing another one reflexively. 

Byakuya nodded, picking up his tea again. “I imagine Aunt Masama will be furious that, once again, I am shirking my responsibilities to the Kuchiki clan. However, if Shinobu is better suited for them, even if he is deeply influenced by his uncle Kyōraku, we are still better positioned than we have been. As I said, I can hardly see the harm.”

Renji was on his third cracker, so he just nodded.

“Should I order more of those sent up?” Byakuya asked, amused.

“These are amazing!” Renji nodded enthusiastically.

Pulling himself up from under the comforter, Byakuya got up and rang the bell. Aio must have been somewhere nearby, because she appeared shortly after Byakuya had rearranged himself under the comforter. “Might as well have Miki prepare two baskets of senbei,” he said dryly. “I would like a chance at more than one.”

Renji’s cheeks reddened slightly. Though his mouth was full, he managed, “Sorry.”

Byakuya allowed himself a small smile. Licking his finger, he reached across the table to wipe a crumb from Renji’s chin. “Not at all. It’s one of the things I love about you.”

Renji’s blush deepened. Aio scurried off quickly, basket in hand. When he heard the door slide shut, Renji grumbled, “You know it was just the other day, she saw me naked on your bed.”

Byakuya’s small smile lingered and he reached across the table again. This time with both hands, which he used to guide Renji halfway across the table, where they met with a soft kiss. Happily, against Renji’s lips, Byakuya’s low voice rumbled, “Mmmm, I remember.”

The speed at which Renji’s body responded was embarrassing. “Jeez,” he said, pulling away gently, but firmly. He sat back with a little pout, annoyed at the burgeoning erection giving him grief. “I thought you weren’t up for this today.

The smile became more of a wicked smirk. “I said I didn’t want to go to the grave stinking of your sex,” Byakuya reminded him. “We’re home now, Renji.”

Suddenly, Renji’s stiffening dick was less annoying. “Oh, yeah,” he smiled toothily, “We are.”

**Author's Note:**

> Don't kill me! The sex is forthcoming! I'm just notoriously SLOOOOOOW writing sexy bits, so I thought I'd post this to keep my momentum going.


End file.
